This invention relates generally to structures involving the growth of epitaxial thin-films upon semiconductor-based materials and relates, more particularly, to such structures having thin films grown thereon which possess desirable optical properties.
It is known that a thin-film layer of a ferroelectric material, such as BaTiO.sub.3, can be grown directly upon a semiconductor-based material, such as silicon, to render a monolithic structure which possesses both semiconductor and ferroelectric properties. For example, applicants have described the growth of such a material in their co-pending application Ser. No. 08/692,343, filed Aug. 5, 1996, wherein the build up of the ferroelectric material is effected one-plane-at-a-time wherein each plane contains one of two selected constituent metal oxide planes of the crystalline form of the ferroelectric material.
Heretofore, however, there does not exist a structure which incorporates a ferroelectric material and a silicon substrate and which has been used as an active waveguide material in a silicon-based communication system. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a monolithic structure which incorporates a ferroelectric oxide and silicon wherein the ferroelectric material is capable for use as an active waveguide material.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure involving the growth of a ferroelectric thin-film upon a semiconductor-based material, such as silicon, wherein the thin-film possesses highly desirable electro-optical characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a structure wherein the crystalline growth of the thin-film advantageously affects the optical characteristics of the thin-film.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a structure which includes a material having the general formula ABO.sub.3 such as, by way of example and not as limitation, a perovskite, and in particular a perovskite in the BaTiO.sub.3 class, grown upon materials selected from the Group III-V, IV or II-VI classes of materials including, by way of example and not as limitation, a silicon or silicon-germanium substrate.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a structure which can be used as a solid state electrical component, such as a phase modulator or switch, of an electro-optic device, such as an interferometer.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide such a structure having a semiconductor-based substrate and a perovskite thin-film overlying the substrate wherein the substrate of the structure is utilized in the transmission of electricity and wherein the thin-film is utilized for the transmission of light.
One more object of the present invention is to provide such a structure for use as a building block of a communication system through which both electricity and light are transmitted.